I keep hearing how Capitalism is a failed ideology, but I do not believe that. It has worked fine for hundreds of years, until people became too irresponsible and stupid to fend for themselves. Capitalism is the system on which the great advances of the Western World came about. Our forefathers did not have a problem living in a capitalistic world, in fact they thrived. Why is that?
1. Because they lived within or below their means.
2. Because they saved.
3. Because they invested.
4. Because they didnt look to government to protect them.
5. Because they werent overly greedy.
6. Because they didnt compete with their neighbors in the areas of materialism.
7. Because they believed in the importance of personal responsibility.

So what is the problem with Capitalism these days.
Is greed the problem?

Is a lack of education the problem?

Is laziness the problem?

Is lack of the ability to save the problem?

Is government intervention the problem?

Is a generation of people that think they are too good to work menial labor the problem?

Please help me to see the problem with Capitalism. The only problem I see is a society of people that are either too stupid or too irresponsible to handle it.

people are probably just too stupid...

but i will most likely always choose that if its one of the options.

First off Americans have been lied to for a long time. I can't tell you the last time we actually had a capitalistic market in this country. But what he have now is far from it. We have state corporatism. Corporate America has been in bed with government for atleast 50 years. I'd say more than any other factor i.e. greed, stupidity is the fact that government has grown exponentially in the last 50 years. It's nuts! People want to point to our economic problems as a result of unfettered capitalism. Bull#.

But to answer your question from a philosophical standpoint, with capitalism is akin to liberty. With both come individual responsibility, accountability, and honesty. You need all of these things in order to have individual liberty. You also need all of these things to have economic liberty as well. I think as a whole people are just more greedy, less honest, less responsible, less informed, etc. People want to take all the risks of making money without accepting the consequences of those risks if they don't work in their favor. Well that's where the government comes in. Anyways, I could go on and on about this subject.

Bottomline is government is the biggest problem right now to a free and fair capitalistic market. But what the hell do you expect from a government that is controlled by the corrupt Federal Reserve. The people's ability to create their money is corrupted so why is it so hard to believe that our economy is corrupted as well. Like I said capitalism hasn't failed, we haven't had it for a LONG time.

The problem with capitalism today is the emergence of the 'Mega Corporation'. The part that made the free market system work was the diversity of sources for any given product. Now these Corporations just keep gobling up other Corporations until they are huge conglomorates, and then when they fail, we have to bail them out because it would cripple the economy.

It is not that people are stupid, they are just screwed over by the elite.
The real reality of it is, is that the world is owned by 14-15 people.

Originally posted by grapesofraft
Is a lack of education the problem?
The only problem I see is a society of people that are either too stupid or too irresponsible to handle it.

Yes yes yes yes and yes.

And yes.

That's the problem with it.

By the way, yes.

Capitalism hasn't failed.

Capitalism has reached its illogical conclusion.

Those with power stand to gain even more because of their position BOUGHT with said power. To the point that they effectively subjugate everyone below them through mindless trivial pursuits and lowered educational standards.

Now it is time to replace it.

Originally posted by JayinAR
Capitalism hasn't failed.

Capitalism has reached its illogical conclusion.

Those with power stand to gain even more because of their position BOUGHT with said power. To the point that they effectively subjugate everyone below them through mindless trivial pursuits and lowered educational standards.

Now it is time to replace it.

See I do not see that as their fault if we fail to get a good education. If we fall to "mindless trivial pursuits and lowered educational standards" then that is our own fault. No one can make you make stupid decisions. That is why their is a high need for personal responsiblity.

Also, I see this kind of downturn going along the lines as a downturn in placing morality above our own personal desires. I think the decline in religion has led to part of this. Not that I am saying it is God punishing us, but that religious and moral values help us to keep our personal desires in check.

Originally posted by grapesofraft
That is why their is a high need for personal responsiblity.

Regretfully, we live in a society that blames others for everything. Look at some of the absolutely ridiculous lawsuits. Like the woman who won a 2 million dollar settlement for placing hot coffee between her legs at the McDonalds drive-thru. It wasn't her fault, it was McDonald's for making the coffee hot! Taking resposibility for one's own actions is a thing of the past.